Glock 19 of AR Rifles?

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  • MCgrease08

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    Mar 14, 2013
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    Earth
    Sorry, thought this was a firearm forum to discuss these things. If I offended anyone with my question that has been asked before, I suggest you find different websites to be on at 10:30 on a Saturday night.

    It is a forum for discussing these things, but there have been several threads covering this topic in the last couple of weeks and months. Over the life of the forum there have probably been dozens.

    I'm one of the first to say the search function here suuuuucks, but poke around in some of the sub forums. You'll probably find more than one covering what you're looking for.
     

    russc2542

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    Oct 24, 2015
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    Columbus
    I don’t own an AR 15 rifle, but am curious of what people believe would be the “Glock 19” of AR’s. Affordable, reliable, durable, etc.

    What do you consider to be the criteria for each of those? almost anything from the big name manufacturers over $500 (currently) would work fine for 95% of people.

    What's your budget?
    What's "Reliable"? 500 rounds between failure? 1000? 10,000? How often do you clean it? How dirty of ammo do you shoot?
    What's "durable"? lives through shooting a couple thousand .223 or being used as a club/hammer?
    What's your intended use? distance? Paper or varmints?
     

    MCgrease08

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    Mar 14, 2013
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    Earth
    What do you consider to be the criteria for each of those? almost anything from the big name manufacturers over $500 (currently) would work fine for 95% of people.

    What's your budget?
    What's "Reliable"? 500 rounds between failure? 1000? 10,000? How often do you clean it? How dirty of ammo do you shoot?
    What's "durable"? lives through shooting a couple thousand .223 or being used as a club/hammer?
    What's your intended use? distance? Paper or varmints?

    Oh no, now you've done it. :runaway:
     

    indykid

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    4   0   0
    Jan 27, 2008
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    Westfield
    There was a time when the ABCs of ARs was all you had to know, Armalite, Bushmaster or Colt. Since then the Bushmaster name is on the rifle of a company with a spotty reputation, and you could add "RR" for Rock River as maker of high quality ARs.

    These days it seems everybody is making variations of the venerable AR-15. Some good, some not so, but like anything else you can find people that hate one brand, love another, and people love the one that person hates, etc.

    There are enough aftermarket parts that if you find one that you like on looks alone, and it is not perfect, there are enough parts companies that you can make it right yourself.
     

    Sniper 79

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    Oct 7, 2012
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    Palmetto State Armory has your answer. Right now rifle length guns aren't in fashion. I would say the 10.5" "pistol" is the sweetheart you're after.
     

    mrproc1

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    Oct 25, 2012
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    Indy
    I have a couple of store bought, more home build from piecing parts. Some costing more than others. They all go bang, and all their own characteristics just like hand guns.
    PSA makes a decent product, the new Sig M400 is a nice unit. Just like any gun purchase do some research, and learn the pros and cons for each gun.
    Have fun with your quest
     

    Disposable Heart

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    246   1   1
    Apr 18, 2008
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    Greenfield, IN
    Considering that most ARs are relatively the same, let's be honest: The small parts are made at very few facilities, C158 bolts are made at only a few facilities, only a few reputable forges outside of China make the receiver blanks for final milling at end manufacturers, etc... And, frankly, barrels are relatively the same unless you are paying for more QC, higher standard of manufacture, etc... for the most part, a good nitride barrel is a good nitride barrel is a good nitride barrel.

    What you would be looking for isn't necessarily a certain manufacturer, but type/set up of AR. I believe the G19 of the AR world is:
    16" carbine/reliable midlength gas with 1:7 twist, nitride or chrome lined barrel, flat top upper receiver with dust cover, etc...
    A CHROME lined (not nitride, not NiB) phosphate bolt carrier, 158 Carpenter bolt
    Basic M4 furniture

    Reliable, relatively accurate, easy to maintain and durable. I'd skip the nitride carriers as I've had them slick themselves dry with all sorts of different lubes, including greases. Its surface is just too slippery but not enough to continuously lube itself.

    What the G19 represents is a mid size, high capacity handgun that is easily concealable, has enough ergonomic accuracy and capacity to compete with full size handguns, reliable, accurate and durable. When it comes to rifles, "concealability" isn't an issue, lol, but working around tight areas is.
    In my mind:
    G19: 16 or 14.5"
    G26: 10.3-10.5"
    G17: 20"
    Don't get me wrong, I love the G17 and 20" AR15s, but they are larger than really necessarily needed, harder to work to around in concealment(pistol)/vehicles(rifle) than their G19 and 26 cousins, and with modern ammunition (in both rifle and pistol comparisons), the extra barrel length isn't necessary unless you are using older/fragmentation dependent ammo. Even the sight radius argument on G17/20" vs G19/G26/16" is moot with modern optics.
     

    Ricnzak

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    26   0   0
    Nov 15, 2008
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    Noblesville
    RK Guns has the Ruger on sale for $499. That's a great deal on solid rifle that will get you started. And as DH just said you can easily upgrade/replace parts if needed as time goes on.
     
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